| Microsoft Windows 8 makes lukewarm debut: sales tracker Posted: 29 Nov 2012 11:56 AM PST  SEATTLE (Reuters) - Consumer sales of Windows-powered personal computers fell 21 percent overall last month, figures released by a leading retail research firm showed on Thursday, indicating a lackluster debut for Microsoft Corp's Windows 8 operating system. Many in the industry said Windows 8 might revive slack PC sales, but a report by NPD Group, which tracks computer sales weekly using data supplied by retailers, dampened those hopes. On the same day, Microsoft announced pricing for its latest device designed to break Apple Inc's stranglehold on the tablet and lightweight laptop market. ...
|
| Sprint unveils in-car communications system for automakers Posted: 29 Nov 2012 02:44 PM PST  LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Sprint Nextel Corp unveiled on Thursday an in-vehicle communications and entertainment system it hopes automakers will adopt as they seek to attract younger, more connected consumers. Sprint Velocity allows drivers to connect mobile phones to their vehicles through Bluetooth, providing access to a range of applications, including voice-activated texting and email, navigation, news and sports updates and music. Sprint Nextel, the No. 3 U.S. mobile carrier, is betting that Sprint Velocity will be superior to the products developed by the automakers themselves. ...
|
| Facebook, Zynga revamp partnership Posted: 29 Nov 2012 04:58 PM PST  SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Facebook Inc and Zynga Inc severed the cozy ties that once bound the Internet industry's closest couple, revising a years-old partnership between the two companies. The two companies reported in regulatory filings on Thursday that they had reached an agreement to amend a deal struck in 2010 that was widely seen as giving Zynga privileged status on the world's No.1 social network. Zynga stock fell 12 percent to $2.30 in after-hours trading. Facebook shares were off 5 cents at $27.27. ...
|
| 10 Sleek Cases for Your Nokia Lumia 920 Posted: 29 Nov 2012 06:40 AM PST  1. Worldshopping Black Magnetic Flip Leather Case
|
| NASA Confirms: No Major Discovery in Curiosity's Mars Soil Sample Posted: 29 Nov 2012 05:58 AM PST  Today NASA released an official statement confirming that the first soil samples gathered with Curiosity's new instrument do not contain a rumored "earth-shaking" discovery.
|
| Sony's PlayStation3 beats Nintendo's Wii U over Black Friday Posted: 29 Nov 2012 12:45 PM PST  SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Sony Corp sold over 525,000 PlayStation3 consoles in the United States during the week of Black Friday that kicks off the holiday shopping season, surpassing sales of Nintendo's new Wii U. Sony Computer Entertainment Inc said on Thursday that sales of its six-year-old PlayStation3 jumped 9 percent over the same period last year. The sales compared with over 400,000 units sold of Nintendo's Wii U, the new console on which the Japanese company is staking much of its future. ...
|
| RIM shares rise 6 percent as Goldman jumps on BB10 bandwagon Posted: 29 Nov 2012 09:32 AM PST  TORONTO (Reuters) - A wave of optimism surrounding the launch of Research In Motion's re-engineered BlackBerry line picked up momentum on Thursday with Goldman Sachs raising its rating on the smartphone maker and setting off a surge in its share price. The brokerage firm joined a growing chorus of analysts who have warmed to the prospects of a successful introduction of the new BlackBerry 10 devices, which RIM hopes will let it claw back market share lost to Apple Inc's iPhone and smartphones powered by Google's Android platform. ...
|
| Cisco to buy privately held network software company Posted: 29 Nov 2012 11:31 AM PST  (Reuters) - Cisco Systems Inc said it will buy privately held network traffic-management software maker Cariden Technologies Inc for about $141 million in cash. Cariden will be integrated into Cisco's service provider networking group unit, Cisco said. California-based Cariden supplies network planning, design and traffic management solutions for telecommunications service providers. This is Cisco's third acquisition in November. Earlier this month Cisco said it will buy privately held cloud networking company Meraki for $1.2 billion in cash as part of its cloud and networking strategy. ...
|
| Pixlr Express leads Android Apps of the Week Posted: 29 Nov 2012 02:54 PM PST Android photographers of the world, rejoice! A new professional-grade photo editor entered the fold; Pixlr Express boasts a crazy number of features and tools. When you're done editing your photos, we've got new ways to send them to people, plus new ways to avoid getting lost in a dead zone, new ways to track big savings, and new ways to keep your LinkedIn profile up to date. Despite all that new, there's a lot of old fashioned to be found in this week's list. |
| Angry Birds Star Wars updated with 20 additional levels, Princess Leia cameo Posted: 29 Nov 2012 08:03 PM PST  Rovio on Thursday updated its immensely popular Angry Birds Star Wars game to include 20 additional levels. The latest game in the bird-slinging franchise was released earlier this month and was an instant hit, topping the iTunes App Store in less than three hours. In the most recent update, gamers must help the birds escape from the AT-ATs and Pigtroopers on the remote ice world of Hoth. Luckily, the rebel birds have a secret weapon — Princess Leia. "It is a dark time for the Rebellion," Rovio wrote on its website. "Evading the dreaded Imperial Starfleet, a group of freedom fighters has established a new secret base on the remote ice world of Hoth. Unfortunately the evil Lord Vader discovers their hideout, and the desperate
|
| Mobile LTE subscribers expected to double by 2014 Posted: 29 Nov 2012 07:11 PM PST  High-speed 4G LTE networks are the future of mobile data in the United States and around the world. A number of major wireless providers have already deployed LTE networks and others are expected to follow soon. The Yankee Group found that by the end of 2012 there will be 152 commercial LTE networks across 65 countries, an increase from 47 networks in 2011. The research firm predicts that in 2013 there will be roughly 114 million mobile subscribers utilizing the high-speed technology, a number that is expected to more than double to 258 million by the end of 2014. The global voice and messaging revenue mobile operators are expected to make is also predicted to fall from $769 billion in 2011 to
|
| Nintendo president apologizes for bulky day-one Wii U firmware update Posted: 29 Nov 2012 06:12 PM PST  As we noted in our first impressions, Nintendo's (NTDOY) Wii U is charting new ground with its wireless GamePad and touchscreen controls that engage gamers in the living room like never before. But before you can even set up the Wii U, a mandatory firmware update is required upon power up. Gamers everywhere were frustrated to learn that the firmware update, which is pegged anywhere between 1GB and 5GB, takes hours to download and could even "brick" new consoles if the power was cut off. In an email conversation with IGN, Nintendo's global president and CEO Satoru Iwata said was "very sorry" that Wii U owners were experiencing network issues and that other services such as Nintendo TVii weren't available at launch. Iwata said he believes "users
|
| Internet service goes out across Syria Posted: 29 Nov 2012 05:25 PM PST  Internet service went down Thursday across Syria and international flights were canceled at the Damascus airport when a road near the facility was closed by heavy fighting in the country's civil war.
|
| Apple overcomes last hurdle, iPhone 5 cleared for sale in China as Android continues to dominate Posted: 29 Nov 2012 05:20 PM PST  Fans waiting for Apple (AAPL) to sell the iPhone 5 in China won't have to wait much longer, according to a new report from the Wall Street Journal. After receiving certification from China's State Radio Management earlier this month, Apple has now been awarded a "network access license" that allows it to flip the switch on the iPhone 5 on China Telecom, the country's third-largest wireless carrier. The WSJ's report also suggests that China's second-largest carrier, China Unicom, may not receive the iPhone 5 at launch and that by not making it available on multiple carriers, Apple could cede even more market share to Google's (GOOG) Android platform. A recent report indicates over 90% of China's smartphones now run on Android as Apple's market share has declined.
|
| Zynga slides after updated agreement with Facebook Posted: 29 Nov 2012 04:55 PM PST Zynga shares tumbled nearly 13 percent in after-hours trading Thursday after the online game company and Facebook disclosed that they changed their relationship status to become less attached to each other. |
| Microsoft Surface Pro battery will last roughly four hours Posted: 29 Nov 2012 04:29 PM PST  Not only is Microsoft's (MSFT) Surface Pro tablet running Windows 8 expensive starting at $899 for a 64GB model, but it'll also have a less-than stellar battery life, according to the company's Surface Twitter account. Fielding a question regarding the battery life of the Surface Pro, Microsoft said "#Surface pro will have approximately half the batter [sic] life of Surface RT." The Surface RT can last about eight hours on a single charge, which means the Surface Pro will only last about four hours. The battery life might seem low at first, but remember, the Surface Pro has an Intel (INTC) Core i5 processor and higher 1920 x 1080 full HD resolution touchscreen display. While the third- and fourth-generation iPad with Retina display can easily get 10
|
| Samsung’s sky-high marketing budget may be crimping its smartphones’ profitability Posted: 29 Nov 2012 03:41 PM PST  Samsung (005930) has undoubtedly been one of the biggest success stories of 2012 with its massively successful Galaxy S III and Galaxy Note smartphones selling tens of millions of units. But there's been a cost to Samsung's success and it's come in the form of the company's enormous marketing budget that dwarfs that of rival Apple (AAPL) and may be causing the company to have lower gross margins on its smartphones. Asymco's Horace Dedieu crunched some numbers and found that while Samsung's profit margin on telecom products is a healthy 17%, that's well below what other big-name handset vendors made in their primes — RIM (RIMM), for instance, used to pull in 30% margins while Nokia (NOK) used to have
|
| Cyber security pioneer predicts Apple’s closed philosophy will end its dominance Posted: 29 Nov 2012 02:46 PM PST  In an interview with Reuters, cyber security expert and Kaspersky Lab CEO Eugene Kaspersky said that Apple (AAPL) won't be able to sustain its growth following its closed philosophy. The Cupertino-based company is known for its tight integration of hardware and software throughout its computer, music, smartphone and tablet line of devices. Despite this, Apple has seen great success and at one point cornered the music, mobile and tablet market. In recent times, however, the iPhone maker has lost market share from increased competition from both Google (GOOG) and Microsoft (MSFT). "Now I think it is time for open systems like Android," Kaspersky said. "I'm sure that Apple will lose their market share." The security guru notes that the idea that
|
| Stomach Staples Don't Stop Diabetes; A New Source o E. Coli Posted: 29 Nov 2012 02:32 PM PST  Discovered: Weight loss surgery fails to reduce diabetes; E. coli often comes from cities, not cattle; big guts could mean brittle bones for men; sea levels rose nearly half an inch over past 20 years.
|
| Greater email privacy won't hinder law enforcement Posted: 29 Nov 2012 02:11 PM PST  Over objections from law enforcement officials, the Senate Judiciary Committee has approved legislation that would require police to obtain a search warrant from a judge before they can review a person's emails or other electronic communications.
|
| iPhone faces a real challenge as Android app revenue surges Posted: 29 Nov 2012 02:05 PM PST  One of the big mobile content stories of 2012 is how nimbly Google (GOOG) has been able to revive the fortunes of the Android app market, particularly in Asia. On October 24th, we wrote about how AppAnnie statistics highlighted sizzling Google Play revenue growth in South Korea. This might have been interpreted as a side effect of Samsung's (005930) powerhouse status in Korean handset market. Now AppAnnie is reporting that Google Play revenue growth in the last month was 17.9% globally while iOS app revenue actually shrunk by 0.7%. As one symptom of Android app resurgence, Google Play has now overtaken iOS in Japanese revenue rivalry. This despite the fact that the iPhone is remarkably popular in Japan. Over a
|
| Verizon retirees sue to stop transfer of pensions Posted: 29 Nov 2012 01:40 PM PST Verizon retirees have sued the phone company because it's planning to transfer the responsibility of paying their pensions to an insurance company, where they will have weaker legal protection. |
| Future iPhones could have true wireless charging with no station required Posted: 29 Nov 2012 01:32 PM PST Wireless charging is set to take off this year with the likes of HTC's (2498) Windows Phone 8X, Nokia's (NOK) Lumia 920 and 820 and Google's (GOOG) Nexus 4. By comparison, Apple's (AAPL) iPhone 5 feels decidedly last-gen without wireless charging or NFC. Apple's reason for omitting wireless charging is that smartphones still need charging stations/plates plugged into the wall to work. A new Apple patent discovered by AppleInsider suggests the company is investigating a more elegant solution – wireless charging that uses "near-field magnetic resonance" to recharge an iPhone's battery. The patent details a "virtual charging area" about one meter wide that can be used to provide electricity to devices simply by stepping within a certain radius of a power source. The patent calls the idea a "realistic and |
| Past hosts teaming for Spike Video Game Awards Posted: 29 Nov 2012 01:30 PM PST  The Spike Video Game Awards are assembling past hosts.
|
| News Summary: LivingSocial cuts 400 jobs worldwide Posted: 29 Nov 2012 01:14 PM PST  DONE DEAL: Online deals company LivingSocial is cutting 400 jobs, or about 9 percent of its workforce, as the deals market continues to face challenges.
|
| Voice over LTE could slash smartphone battery life in half Posted: 29 Nov 2012 01:08 PM PST  Wireless providers in the United States see voice over LTE, more commonly known as VoLTE, as the future of mobile phone calls. The transition to the new technology may not be well received by consumers, however. According to a new report from Spirent Communications, VoLTE can reduce a smartphone's talk-time battery life in half, Fierce Wireless reported. The research firm came to its conclusion after using a smartphone capable of supporting both CDMA and VoLTE voice calling on an unnamed U.S. carrier's network. When making calls over VoLTE, the smartphone's battery was reduced to 50% or about 252 minutes of talk time. "The significant difference in current drain between VoLTE and CDMA technologies for voice calling applications suggests further optimization of devices
|
| Sony sells over half a million PlayStation 3 consoles over Black Friday week Posted: 29 Nov 2012 12:45 PM PST  Both Microsoft (MSFT) and Nintendo (NTDOY) had a big week of console sales during Black Friday's week of shopping madness in the U.S. So how did Sony (SNE) do in comparison? Sony Computer Entertainment of America president and CEO Jack Tretton announced on Thursday that the company sold 525,000 PlayStation 3 consoles and 160,000 PS Vita handhelds during the Black Friday week. Overall PlayStation sales of hardware, software and accessories are up 9% over the same period last year. Tretton was also happy to reveal that subscriptions to its PlayStation Plus grew 259% since last year with customer satisfaction flying high at 95% after Sony added the Instant Game Collection to the service earlier this year. Sony's PlayStation 3 and PS
|
| Microsoft prices Pro version of Surface at $899 Posted: 29 Nov 2012 12:35 PM PST Microsoft's Surface tablet running a full version of Windows 8 Pro will start selling in January for $899 and up, the company said Thursday. But you'll have to pay more if you want a keyboard cover and the popular Office suite of software. |
| Does Anyone Care That iTunes 11 Looks Nice if It Still Isn't Spotify? Posted: 29 Nov 2012 12:30 PM PST  The tech masses are applauding Apple for its latest update to iTunes, which strips away the service's bloated, feature-heavy past without delivering a much anticipated streaming music service. "It's fast now. Which is crazy," notes Gizmodo's Kyle Wagner. "It is one of the biggest overhauls of the media management service yet. Perhaps the biggest," adds MG Siegler at TechCrunch. ...
|
| Superheroes, Bond, hobbits vie for effects Oscar Posted: 29 Nov 2012 12:23 PM PST  James Bond, Snow White and a whole lot of hobbits and superheroes are in the running for the visual-effects prize at the Academy Awards.
|
| Sales of Windows devices in the U.S. have fallen 21% in the past year Posted: 29 Nov 2012 12:16 PM PST  Microsoft (MSFT) revealed earlier this week that sales of Windows 8 were outpacing its predecessor with more than 40 million licenses sold in a month. Despite the company's latest milestone, U.S. sales of Windows devices have fallen 21% since last year. NPD Group reported the latest numbers, noting that sales of laptops, which have been weak throughout most of 2012, have fallen 24% year-over year while desktop sales dropped 9% from last year. While it is still too early to place the blame of a weak PC market on Windows 8, vice president of industry analysis at NPD Stephen Baker believes that the operating system "did not prove to be the impetus for a sales turnaround some had hoped for." A month
|
| Smart Helmets Could Flag Players At Trauma Risk Posted: 29 Nov 2012 12:11 PM PST Force sensors in headgear could signal whether a hit is strong enough to cause concern should the player receive a second serious blow. Larry Greenemeier reports. |
| Email privacy legislation clears Senate committee Posted: 29 Nov 2012 11:56 AM PST Over objections from law enforcement officials, the Senate Judiciary Committee has approved legislation that would require police to obtain a search warrant from a judge before they can review a person's emails or other electronic communications. |
| Price, details of Surface models from Microsoft Posted: 29 Nov 2012 11:53 AM PST  There are two models of the Surface, one with a low-energy processor featuring Windows RT, and another with an Intel processor featuring Windows 8 Pro.
|
No comments:
Post a Comment